TBILISI, DFWatch – International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) is concerned about the increase in violent incidents and arrests possibly on political grounds.

After a prison abuse scandal shook Georgia last week, which led to society paying a lot of attention to these specific cases and generally defend prisoners’ rights, ISFED thinks that the election environment has become more violent.

“Administrative detentions and violent activities mostly are against the supporters of oppositional parties, but there are some cases, where victims are the representatives of ruling party,” ISFED’s statement reads.

ISFED revealed 18 cases of violence and arrest on political ground.

Georgian Dream activists who were putting up posters were arrested, another activist of the oppositional party, Mamuka Jananashvili was arrested at 06:00 am for buying, keeping and selling a gun. Jananashvili’s mother claims her son did not have a gun. Later, the arrested was released and he said that what happened terminates his political activity.

Georgian Young Lawyers Association also is concerned about the increase in cases of arrests and thinks that they have a political background.

Human rights worker Dachi Tsaguria was arrested after a peaceful demonstration for 10 days and is still in prison.

Sandro Tsagareli, a member of Laboratoria 1918, the group that organizes student demonstrations, was arrested without explanation and released the next day, but now he has to pay 400 GEL. (https://dfwatch.net/young-lawyers-say-recent-cases-are-political-96835 )

ISFED thinks that conducting elections in a peaceful environment is the most important thing, and asks that election subjects call on their supporters to be patient and avoid violence.